WW2 Gunnery range - Birthday visit ! July 27th 2012

[davejb]

Makes me wonder where you stuck your nose then

[Steve T]

Out the nose hole at the front..........daft bloody question !

[davejb]

Err, did I mention that they were'nt clean ones , sorry

[Steve T]

Ok whitehunter and cornishboy.........get ready for an ID !!!

The brass rings we find have been positively identified by a reknowned expert in such matters, (that isn't a joke by the way.....he IS), as the partial remains of a PIAT discharge cartridge. The force of the spigot and cartridge going off would easily be enough to crack and deform the lip off the cartridge base and hence give you these odd rings. Even if the cartridge remained in the tail, the same thing could happen when the main shaped charge went off.

This is why I find mine in the same area where I find the PIAT fuzes plus holders!! This also means there are the remains of a shed load of PIAT rounds/fins about 100 yards away........if only I knew in which direction !!!

[cornishboy]

Thanks Steve that has certainly satisfied my curiosity! However that does mean that i have piat finds a plenty to come Excellent ID

[TonyE]

I will post a picture later of the PIAT cartidge (I will need to photograph mine as I don't have a picture to hand).

The cartridges were supplied for re-loading the practice projectiles, as the operational HE rounds had the cartrdige crimped in place in the bomb at the factory.

Regards
TonyE

[Steve T]

Thanks tony. I have found 2 complete PIAT cartridges at the site, (you can see one in the second picture in the first post of this thread), and it will be interesting to see 'mint' one

[TonyE]

Here are a couple of pictures of the PIAT cartridge with a .303 for size comparison.

The PIAT has "7" stamped in the end opposite the primer and a very faint rubber stamping on the side of the case. It is virtually indecipherable but I think it is "K" (Kynoch) and a date, possibly "40".

rEGARDS
tONYe

[Steve T]

Sorry Tony, never thanked you for the above picture......thank you

The cartridges I have found I have re-examined and can now see the top portion has been split off, leaving a cartridge roughly half the size of the one you've pictured. When I add one of the rings to it, brings it out the same size as the one pictured.

So pleased to have got those rings IDd. Now I just got to find which direction they were firing the PIATs. With any luck, they will have been using practice rounds and left some behind

Steve T